Korn at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

KORN changed the world with the release of their self-titled debut album. It was a record that would pioneer a genre, while the band’s enduring success points to a larger cultural moment. The FADER notes, “There was an unexpected opening in the pop landscape and KORN articulated a generational coming-of-angst for a claustrophobic, self-surveilled consciousness. KORN became the soundtrack for a generation’s arrival as a snarling, thrashing, systemically-restrained freak show.” Since forming, KORN has sold 40 million albums worldwide, collected two GRAMMYS, toured the world countless times, and set many records in the process that will likely never be surpassed. Vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and drummer Ray Luzier, have continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans and generations of artists around the globe. The level of KORN’s reach transcends accolades and platinum certifications. They are “a genuine movement in a way bands cannot be now,” attests The Ringer. They represent a new archetype and radical innovation, their ability to transcend genre makes barriers seem irrelevant.

Taking their name from the original Japanese pronunciation of Godzilla, French heavy metal quartet Gojira have risen from the utmost obscurity during the first half of their career to widespread global recognition in the second. Combining elements of thrash, death, math, groove, progressive, and post-metal with philosophical and environment-themed lyrics, the band found mainstream favor in 2012 with the release of their fifth long-player L’Enfant Sauvage and doubled-down on that success with 2016’s Grammy-nominated Magma and 2021’s hard-hitting and versatile Fortitude.

Originating from the town of Bayonne on France’s southernmost Atlantic Ocean coastline, Gojira recorded the first in a sequence of almost yearly demos in 1996, gradually honing their sound until the year 2000, when bandmembers Joe Duplantier (vocals/guitar), Christian Andreu (guitar), Jean-Michel Labadie (bass), and Mario Duplantier (drums), felt ready to record their first album, Terra Incognita, relying solely on their own devices. And despite its independent status, the aptly named LP made significant waves with its unpredictable blend of death, thrash, groove, progressive, and math metal — recalling bands as diverse as Pantera, Meshuggah, Suffocation, and Sepultura.

It still took several years (and a curious detour into soundtrack music on 2003’s Maciste All Inferno EP) for the metal world to catch on, and even Gojira’s second album, The Link, had to be released through the tiny independent Boycott Records before being reissued by Listenable. (This was followed by 2004’s The Link Alive live album and corresponding video set, whose audio component was limited to 500 copies — a parting shot for Boycott.) Now finally gathering steam, Gojira saw their third full-length, From Mars to Sirius, enter the French charts at number 44, while collecting the most enthusiastic reviews of their career — a level of acclaim that led, in turn, to numerous key European festival appearances, and lengthy European and North American tours with Obituary, Hatesphere, Children of Bodom, and Machine Head, to name but a few.

By the end of the long promotional cycle for From Mars to Sirius, Gojira were widely acknowledged as a force to be reckoned with, on-stage and in the studio, and their much anticipated fourth LP, The Way of All Flesh (released stateside by Prosthetic Records), made a strong showing by debuting at number 138 on the American charts in October 2008. The extensive touring schedule that Gojira then undertook meant that fans would have to wait nearly four years for the band’s next studio album, although they did get the expansive The Flesh Alive video set to tide them over. In 2012, the band moved up to the big leagues, signing to major-label Roadrunner for the release of L’Enfant Sauvage (“The Wild Child”), inspired by the Truffaut film of the same name. It earned wide critical praise, as well as a Top 40 showing on the U.S., Canadian, Swedish, and French charts. Long years of touring and occasional recording — including another live album, Les Enfants Sauvages — were followed by the release of Gojira’s acclaimed sixth album, Magma, which was released in 2016 and earned the band a pair of nominations at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Four years later, Gojira returned with Fortitude, which was preceded by the arrival of the dynamic Eastern philosophy-inspired single “Born for One Thing.” The full-length topped the streaming charts upon its release, and the track “Amazonia” was nominated for a Grammy Award. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi

Spiritbox is a Canadian alternative metal/djent band from Victoria, British Columbia, formed in 2017. Having toured the world as members of the eccentrically iconic metal band iwrestledabearonce, vocalist Courtney LaPlante (a member of IWABO since 2012) and guitarist Michael Stringer (a member since 2015) wanted to take their intensely personal and technical musical focus in a new creative and personal direction. This now-husband-and-wife team have worked extremely hard at incorporating Courtney’s sense of vocal style and lyrical quality, hovering over Michael’s exquisitely forceful guitar riffs in their new band, SPIRIT BOX.

A Spirit Box is a device that uses common radio frequencies as a bridge of communication with the spiritual realm. Spiritual entities wishing to communicate with the human world select certain words from music/advertisement/talk radio to communicate. It is within this paradigm that Spirit Box’s new self-titled EP takes its name and musical theme. The band digitalized an EVP recording from an actual spirit box and incorporated the background static heard in every track on the EP, tying the tracks together and giving the entire project a specific commonality.

Courtney describes their latest effort this way, “Personally this record is really important for me because I finally was able to sing a lot. For Michael and me, it is our first collaborative effort since getting married and we wanted every song to reflect our commitment to structure and lyrical emotion, yet still maintain a distinct vibrancy and sound. The first four songs are one long piece meant to be listened to together. They are called ‘The Mara Effect.’”

Adds Michael, “We just wanted to focus on the material, and show our talents as seasoned professionals, but at the same time reflect what lies ahead, within a young and fresh vibe, not something from grizzly old jaded musicians.”

Having written songs for IWABO’s last two EPs, Courtney’s musical focus has always been on lyrics that reflect meaning to her and while also speaking to her listeners, often agonizing over a single word choice in order to convey the exact imagery or message she wants to convey. With Spirit Box’s debut EP, the tracks continue that commitment to both lyric and establishing a coherent sound, continuing a narrative that colors each song to complete a framework that Courtney hopes conveys a specific musical message. Fans definitely won’t need a spirit box to receive their musical messages. It’s all about the love. And obsession.